


Serendipity

by PaperBagGirl



Category: Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: AU, Aphrodisiacs, Dialogue Heavy, M/M, No Sex, Political Intrigue, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-04-01 00:33:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13986636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaperBagGirl/pseuds/PaperBagGirl
Summary: After the celebration of Crimea's victory over Daein, a drunken Ike finds himself locked in a room with Soren, prince of the enemy nation.





	Serendipity

Ike stumbled towards his bedroom, his back turned away from the gaudy lights and pretentious music. The celebration of Crimea’s victory over Daein was slowly winding down and Ike, the guest of honor, had been unable to leave until now. His head felt strangely clear as the world blurred around him. He was vaguely aware of someone beside him, helping him towards his room, but he couldn’t recognize their voice.

Ike had never been drunk before, but he figured this was what it must feel like. He should have listened to his body when he initially wanted to stop but there was always an ally who wanted to celebrate or some noble who wanted to toast to his victory. Normally Ike would have refused the latter, but Elincia’s helpless smile spurred him on. It was only alcohol. He’d treat it like part of the contract.

Big mistake.

The person beside him stopped, bringing Ike out of his thoughts. Somehow they had managed to make it to his bedroom. Ike muttered his thanks before stepping inside for some much needed rest.

The room was large, larger than any room in their original mercenary keep, and filled to the brim with high-class materials. Soft carpet, luxurious silk pillows and intricate mouldings decorated the place, surrounding a four post bed with soft linen canopies. Of course, this was all according to Titania; Ike honestly couldn’t care less about the details. A bed was a bed and the utter wastefulness of it all made him ill at ease, even though it was considered tame compared to what he had seen at Begnion. It didn’t feel right. He didn’t belong here.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he kicked off his boots and headed towards the bed. Just as he pushed aside the canopies, he stopped in his tracks. On his bed laid a stranger. His long, dark hair looked a little green in the candlelight, his eyes closed, clad in intricate dark robes that exposed his snowy neck-

Ike balked.

His first thought was that he went into the wrong room. But as he apologized and tried to leave, the door refused to open. Ike frowned. Did he lock the door behind him? No wait, this wasn’t his room. But then why did it look so much like his room? And why did that maid lead him here if it wasn’t? Ike’s head hurt. He didn’t have the energy to think about it so he pounded on the door, hoping that someone would realize the mistake and let him out.

“Nobody’s going to come, so I suggest you cease your incessant noise-making.” An unfamiliar voice caused him to pause. Turning around, Ike was met with a pair of cautious eyes (red like the sunset, he mildly thought).

Ike blinked and realized he was staring. He shook his head, sobering up a little. “I’m sorry but… what?”

The mystery man snorted. “Are you mentally deficient? We’ve been locked in here on purpose, so nobody’s going to come to our aid.”

Ike’s brows furrowed. “And why would anyone want to do that?”

“To ruin our reputations for their own personal gains, I’d reckon.”

Ike’s mind spun, unable to comprehend the man’s logic. “Wait… let’s start over. I’m Ike of the Greil Mercenaries. Who are you?”

“Soren, prince of Daein.”

If Ike had been drunk before, he reckoned that sentence sobered him up. Taking a second to process this new information, he sat on the side of the bed and regarded the stranger — Soren. Soren stared back at him with a mix of caution and daunting, as if his glare would help him assert his dominance. To be fair, it wasn’t exactly working. For some reason Soren lay limply on the bed, mollifying his credibility as a threat. Ike looked away, his tongue dry, and searched for something to say.

He stared down at his hands. “I didn’t know Ashnard had a son.”

“Ah yes, well, he wouldn’t have advertised that,” Soren said in a clipped tone. “My existence was a secret even in Daein. I’d be surprised if those in Crimea knew of me.”

“It sounds complicated.”

“It is.”

“You don’t look like him at all,” Ike said, looking at Soren’s face. Soren’s eyes flickered as he looked away.

“I take after my mother,” he said quietly.

The conversation descended into awkward silence once again. Ike scratched his head, clearing his mind some more. This was going to be a long night, and Ike had a feeling he’d need Soren’s help to get through it.

“So, can you explain why someone would want to plot against us again?” Ike frowned. “Why would anyone want to ruin the reputations of a mercenary and a prince no one knows anything about?”

Soren looked at him with open disdain. “I don’t understand how you managed to out-strategize Daein.”

“I had a lot of good people by my side.”

“I see. Then I’ll try to explain things in the simplest way possible.” Soren sighed. “I’ll start with why they targeted you. Ike, you’re much more than a mere mercenary. In the eyes of the Crimean public, you’re their hero and public opinion of you has overshadowed that of other, more socially acceptable individuals.”

Ike’s brow furrowed in thought. “What, so does that mean the Crimean nobles had something to do with this?”

“Glad to know you’re smarter than you look.”

“Hey!”

Soren looked away but Ike swore he was hiding a smirk. “To be fair, it’s likely not all the nobles of Crimea, but there’s at least one conspirator. Knowledge of the castle’s layout was needed for this plot to succeed.”

“...So you’re saying there’s more than one group moving against us.”

“Correct. As for the second group… they’re related to my involvement in the matter.” Soren paused as his eyes flickered to meet Ike’s. “How much do you know about laws of succession among nobility?”

“Absolutely nothing,” Ike admitted without shame.

“I figured as much,” Soren said, but there was no malice in his words. It was as if he were stating another fact, not at all concerned about annoying a man twice his mass. (Honestly, Ike couldn’t really tell. He figured he was about a head taller than Soren but his wrist looked so thin, he swore his total weight was at least double his.)

“When a country wins a war, they have the right to enforce a treaty. The loser has to compensate the winner, that’s how it works. Now, if the royal family is killed, the winning country can obtain the right to rule in their stead, but if an heir exists — namely me — the process is a little different.”

Ike nodded, motioning for Soren to continue.

“As long as the heir agrees to follow the conditions of the peace treaty and pay the correct amount of compensation, the two countries can exist as they did previously. However… I did not agree to their terms and this was their way of punishing me.”

“Why didn’t you agree?” Ike frowned. From what he knew, Crimea wouldn’t have set too harsh of a condition, and Soren didn’t seem like he inherited his dad’s mad, warmongering nature so there was no reason for him to disagree.

“Ike, they gave me a document to sign and didn’t even let me read through it.”

“That sounds incredibly suspicious.”

“Indeed,” Soren said. “Naturally I declined, offending them. And the rotten, greedy people they were, they decided to punish me for it.”

“The Begnion senators,” both of them said simultaneously, Ike with recognition and Soren with clear disdain.

“So I take it you’ve personally met them?” Soren asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, when we looked to Begnion for aid, we got acquainted.” Ike’s eyes narrowed. “Can’t say they made the best impression on me… But wait.” Ike paused. “Why would locking us in a room together be counted as ruining our reputations?”

“Just when I thought you were a little smart.”

“Hey...”

Soren bit his lip and looked away from Ike. Ike regarded him silently and waited for him to gather his thoughts. When Soren spoke, it wasn’t in his usual tone but a much quieter (almost embarrassed) one. “...The prince of Daein and the hero of Crimea caught in bed together. Now, does that not sound like a scandal in the making?”

Soren continued as realization dawned on Ike. “Caught in bed with the enemy, they’d wonder if we’d been colluding this entire time. My people would think that I sold out my country to my lover. Your people would question your merits, your victories due to collusion with the enemy and not due to your own efforts. Now do you see how this could potentially ruin us?”

“But that doesn’t make sense.” Ike’s frown deepened. “People don’t know you exist. Also, wouldn’t they question how we even met in the first place? We live in two completely different countries. If they just thought about it for 30 seconds they’d realize the truth.”

Soren looked at Ike, almost impressed. “Indeed, anyone with a properly working brain would realize it. But the masses don’t care about truth or lies. They want a good story, a good scandal.” Soren’s eyes darkened, pooling with scorn. “Ignorant, selfish… humans are the worst.”

He paused and looked at Ike. “Do you know about the Serenes massacre?”

“Yeah, sort of.”

“I think that goes to show the power of a good lie. Anyone who knows anything about laguz would know that herons have no offensive power whatsoever — and yet they burned down the forest anyway. Then they had the gall to go crawling back in search of repentance.” Soren scoffed.

“Huh, most people in Daein don't use the word laguz.”

“My mother raised me. She is a laguz.”

“Oh.”

“...That’s it? ‘Oh?’” Soren’s eyes flickered as his eyes bore into Ike.

“Was I supposed to react differently?”

“Y-you… Do you Crimeans not scorn the branded?”

“What’s the branded?” Ike frowned.

“Do you not know? Offspring of a beorc and laguz are called the branded.” Soren said bitterly. “They are cursed existences scorned by the Goddess, and by that extension, the world itself.”

“Well, that hardly seems fair.” Ike’s frown deepened. “It’s not like you can choose who you’re born to. Why should we judge you based on that?”

Soren looked at Ike, utterly bewildered by his statement. He stared as if Ike had sprouted three heads, climbed up onto the vanity and danced a jig (or something equally bizarre). Ike looked back at him, confused but patient, waiting for Soren to gather his thoughts — but Soren remained completely unresponsive.

“Soren, are you alright?” Subconsciously, Ike reached out and rested a comforting hand on Soren’s knee. Soren froze at the contact, shuddering yet not moving away. Not moving… yet his eyes resembled that of a cornered animal.

Ike frowned deeply as he quickly removed his hand. He couldn’t believe it took him so long to see it. “Soren, what did they do to your body?”

After searching Ike’s eyes, Soren’s nerves seemed to settle. His body stopped trembling and he let out a shuddering breath. “It’s just a paralyzing drug. It’ll pass through my system in a couple of hours or so.”

Silence filled the room as the Ike tried to compose his rapidly revolving thoughts. Finally, he found it in himself to ask. “...Did you think I was going to do something to you?”

Soren licked his lips, avoiding Ike’s gaze before quietly answering “...Yes. I’m ashamed to admit it, but yes.”

Ike leaned back against the bedpost. He wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about this new revelation. He supposed Soren’s assumption made sense: after all, he was drugged and placed onto a stranger’s bed. But even so, he couldn’t help but feel disappointment pooling in the pit of his stomach. Disappointment towards what, he wasn’t sure.

“Ike.” Soren called out in a commanding voice. When Ike turned back to face him, he saw the determined gaze of the prince of Daein. “It’s not you… I didn’t think that way because of you.”

Ike wanted to stop him from having to explain but Soren insisted. “It was Lekain, that senator… He was offended by my insolence and put this plot in place. When he drugged me he said… He hoped I’d learn my place after you were finished with me. That he was going to give you an aphrodisiac and you’d-”

“Soren stop!” Ike shouted, unable to listen any further. “That’s the most horrible thing I’ve ever heard! You shouldn’t have had to stand for that!”

Soren looked up at Ike, wide-eyed. For a moment, the two of them sat there in silence, unable to look away. It was Soren who broke eye contact, hiding his expression in the bedsheets. “Well, it doesn’t matter to them whether it really happens or not. As long as morning comes and the two of us are found together, their goal will be achieved.”

“Alright then,” Ike started, calming down. “What if I break down the door? That way we’d be able to get you out.”

“While I don’t doubt your strength, breaking down the door would be too noisy and time-consuming. By the time we finished, guards would come and see the two of us together and that would have the same effect.” Soren snorted. “I certainly wouldn’t want to be seen exiting a room with someone sporting a sizable erection.”

“Wait... what?”

“My assumption was not unwarranted as it looks like Lekain was successful in drugging you as well.”

Ike looked down and confirmed Soren’s observation. He felt his face flush with embarrassment as he shifted his sitting position to hide the tent pitching between his legs. “Is there… something I can do about this?”

“You may go relieve yourself.”

“Where? There’s no washroom in here.”

“...There’s a balcony.”

“No way!”

Ike looked up to see Soren chuckling, his eyes turning into little crescents, warmth spreading across his cold features. That was when Ike realized it. Underneath all the fancy clothes and big words, Soren was just a kid his age. Suddenly Ike felt a little too warm.

“I was just kidding. Under an aphrodisiac, the problem should last for the duration of the drug; self-relief wouldn’t help much. However, since an aphrodisiac is like a poison, a cure staff should be able to handle it.”

Ike let out a sigh of relief. “Alright, but where are we going to get a cure staff?”

“I carry one with me during my travels. It should still be in my personal stash.” Soren explained, his expression hardening. “With the entire castle partying tonight and the Begnion senators smugly waiting for tomorrow to come, I reckon security would be pretty lax around the place. We can fashion a rope out of the drapes and bedsheets and go through the balcony to the ground floor. From there, reaching the room I was confined in will be simple.”

Ike frowned. He didn’t like the way Soren so flippantly brushed off his confinement. It just wasn’t right. But as Soren stared at him quizzically, Ike stopped that train of thought. “How would we get back up then?”

Soren gave him a look that screamed I-know-that’s-not-what-you-were-thinking-about-but-fine as he continued. “It’d be safest if you stay inside and I go on the stealth mission alone. After I return, you can simply pull me back up from the balcony.”

“So that means we just have to wait until the drug passes through your system and you can move again.”

“Correct.”

Ike shifted positions uncomfortably, preparing himself for the long wait, but his small movements made it more difficult to ignore the problem. Suddenly he was all too aware of his overheated skin and the sensation between his legs.

“Ike, I think you should lie down. It might be less… aggravating that way.” Ike had never felt more grateful for Soren’s interruption.

“Are you alright with that though?” Ike frowned despite himself. Soren was clearly not ok with being touched and with him lying in the middle of the bed, Ike would either have to move him or lie right beside him. Regardless, there’d be physical contact.

“It can’t be helped,” Soren said, his voice soft yet determined. “You can just push me to the side.”

“Okay.” Gingerly, Ike pushed against Soren’s upper arm, nudging him further towards the right side of the bed. He noticed that Soren’s body was still rigid with tension, but he no longer shook with fright. Still, Ike chose to avoid contact as he laid down beside him (it was better for both their sakes).

“So… you really didn’t notice the aphrodisiac?” Soren asked after a second, staring up at the ceiling. “I’ve read that the symptoms are quite distinctive.”

“What are the symptoms by the way?”

“First your body feels too warm. Then your thoughts become blurred. Finally, the physical sensations manifest and it becomes difficult to… control yourself.”

“Huh. I just thought I was drunk.”

“I hear that it feels quite different from drunkenness but yes, I agree that the symptoms sound remarkably alike on paper.” Soren paused. “I take it, it was your first time with alcohol?”

“Yeah.”

“Let me guess, the nobles pressured you into it.”

“Partially. Some members of my mercenary group wanted to drink as well, so I can’t put the entire blame on them.”

“Your mercenary group, you say…” Soren trailed off, momentarily lost in thought. “I’ve heard stories about your involvement in the war but I was never privy to the exact details. How did you, a mercenary boy, become involved with the princess of Crimea?”

“Oh, I found her passed out in the forest and brought her to the fort. That’s when Daein soldiers found us and we got dragged into the mess.”

“Are you always such a trusting person?”

“What do you mean?”

“I understand why you had to side with Crimea, given Daein’s tactics, but bringing an unconscious woman of questionable origins into your home is hardly a good life practice,” Soren said, looking grim. “What if she were an assassin? Your ‘trusting’ action would have doomed your entire mercenary group.”

Ike frowned “I think it’s way more likely that a passed out person is someone needing help than an assassin.”

“Perhaps… but trust is something that should not be given at the drop of a hat. It is something that must be earned.” Soren said firmly. “Blind trust is idiocy. It’s shedding responsibility of actually getting to know someone for the sake of convenience.”

“Huh, I never thought about it that way.”

“...Ike, I just insulted you.”

“I know. But I think you also have a point.” Ike stared at the canopy above him. “Even so, I don’t regret putting my trust in others or taking that chance. You know we were betrayed once, right?”

“Yes, the incident with Nasir, correct?”

“Yeah. In that case, I understood him better after placing my trust in him. Yes we were betrayed, but it worked out alright in the end.” Ike looked at Soren, regarding his cautious eyes. “I don’t think that all trust is shying away from responsibility. I like to think of it as a starting point instead. It’s like this, what we have right now.”

Soren’s eyes widened. “What are you saying?”

“I trust you, that’s all.”

“I-Idiocy!” Soren hissed, tension rising in his shoulders. “We know nothing about each other. Besides, we’re political enemies.”

“Maybe, but I don’t think you’re a bad person,” Ike said.

Soren looked so completely befuddled by the statement, Ike found it hard not to laugh. Holding himself back, he waited as Soren regained his calm but couldn’t help noticing how his features had softened just a smidge. “So does that mean you chose not to notice the hole in my plan?”

Now it was Ike’s turn to be confused.

“Ike, didn’t you stop to think that after you helped me down the balcony, I’d abandon you and escape?” Soren asked.

“Well given that you just explained that to me, I’d think no.”

After a moment, Soren chuckled. It was a warm, indulgent sound, but it was gravelly — as if Soren hadn't laughed in ages. “Indeed. Just when I thought you were smart.”

Ike sighed, ignoring the smile tugging at his lips. It was at that moment he felt a cool finger brush against the back of his hand. Ike stiffened, his body reacting to the sudden touch. Soren’s hand felt amazing against his overheated skin.

Meanwhile, Soren hummed, wiggling his fingers absent-mindedly. “I seem to be regaining movement in my extremities. Still, you might have to wait a little while longer than expected.”

“Oh. That’s fine,” Ike said, attempting to hide the strain in his voice.

“Ike, are you alright?” Soren frowned as he ceased his movements, his voice tinged with worry.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Ike let out a deep breath. “It’s just my problem again.”

“Oh,” Soren replied, staring up at the ceiling in contemplative silence. After a moment he whispered, “If you want to, you may.”

“Huh?” Ike blinked.

“If you… wish to relieve yourself then get it over with now.” Soren muttered, his expression unreadable.

Tearing his gaze away from Soren’s strangely blank countenance, Ike scratched his head in confusion. “Didn’t you say that it wouldn’t really help? Relief, that is. It won’t go away until I’m cured, right?”

“That’s true, but at this rate it may be awhile before that happens,” Soren spoke haltingly. “Aren’t you… uncomfortable?”

“I won’t lie, it’s starting to hurt,” Ike said. “But I’m not desperate enough to go the balcony.”

Soren bit his lip and looked up at Ike. “Ike, that’s not what I meant.”

Ike looked at Soren, his eyes drifting from his flushed cheeks to the red of his lip, and suddenly, he got it. Ike felt himself flush in turn. Oh. So that’s what Soren meant.

On one hand Ike was bewildered that Soren even brought up such a thing, but on the other hand, he found himself not at all averse to his proposition. Maybe it was the aphrodisiac. Maybe it was something else. Ike had always been completely uninterested by such prospects before, but something clicked into place then and there. An admission. Some clarity.

Soren seemed to take his silence as hesitation as he clarified. “If I wasn’t willing I wouldn’t be offering.”

“Soren-”

“Ike, don’t consider it taking advantage.”

His mind was still dizzy from the sudden revelation as Ike felt himself leaning in. Soren’s eyes fluttered as he closed them, taking in a breath as if preparing himself for something.

But something wasn’t right.  

Ike stopped dead in his tracks.

“No.” Ike lurched back, all the while meeting Soren’s gaze. “Soren, listen to me. I’m not going to do anything to you tonight.”

Disbelief flashed across Soren’s features but Ike continued. “We’ve known each other for what, an hour? Probably less than that. But the main thing is this, I don’t think either of us are in our right minds right now. If we did anything, we’d just regret it later.”

“But what about-”

“I’ll be fine,” Ike said. “I’ve endured far worse than this on the battlefield. Soren, don’t worry about me.”

Soren looked up at Ike wearily.

“Besides, I’m not sure I believe you.” Soren opened his mouth to protest but Ike twisted his body, his torso looming over Soren’s, cutting him off. “See? You’re shaking. It’s not obvious but you are. You don’t want this, and I don’t understand why you’re pretending you do.”

To Ike’s surprise, Soren blinked away glassy tears as he buried his head into his shoulder, shying away. Ike froze for a moment before scrambling to get off of Soren, bashing his head against one of the bedposts in the process.

Through the dizziness and the sharp pain, he could hear Soren’s soft cries. From where he sat, he couldn’t tell whether Soren was laughing or crying. Maybe it was both. Maybe it was neither. Still, Ike hoped that it was the former.

“...You really are a good man, Ike.” Soren finally said, after a prolonged silence. “I must admit, although all the facts pointed to that conclusion, I still managed to doubt you.”

“What do you mean?” Ike asked hesitantly.

“I’ll be honest. I didn’t believe you were capable of such self-control. I thought that even if you could hold yourself back for a while, something was going to happen inevitably. And if so, I’d rather just get it over and done with.”

“...Soren.”

“When I first saw you, my first thought was ‘at least he’s handsome.’”

Ike snorted. “No way.”

“It’s true,” Soren said, blinking away the last of his tears. “I thought I was mentally prepared the moment I was placed on this bed. I thought I’d let you do whatever you wanted and then forget about it after.” He pursed his lips and continued. “But you turned out to be a much better man than I thought, so I wavered. If tonight was going to happen anyway, it’s better that my partner be you than anyone else. It would make it… more bearable.”

“Soren,” Ike said, his expression serious. “This probably doesn’t count for much, but I swear I wouldn’t hurt you like that.”

“I know,” Soren said with a surprising amount of confidence. “I know it now. I’ve... decided to place my trust in you. Only for tonight though.”

“Thanks.” Ike smiled a little as he rubbed the back of his head. “But I don’t think I should lie down next to you again. Just in case.”

“That’s probably for the best.”

Ike glanced at Soren, who turned away, seemingly embarrassed by his own admission. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head, a thought he vocalized. “Soren, you’re pretty blunt for a prince.”   

“Ike, you’re horrible at changing the topic.”

“I think you just proved my point.”

“Did you say that to insult me or were you merely making an insulting observation?”

“I’m just curious since you’re very different from both Elincia and Sanaki. I thought all nobles had to be polite and stuff.”

“Perhaps if I attended court I’d be like them. However, as I lived away from such a life, I did not deem it necessary to develop such skills.”

“Was it because of the whole ‘branded’ thing?” Ike frowned a little.

“Yes, well that fact would certainly be unwelcome to the Daein public, wouldn’t it?” Soren sneered. “Of course, my father was only interested in me due to this. When he failed to weaponize my mixed blood, he threw me away. Luckily my mother intercepted me before he succeeded and managed to raise me on her own but… she made many sacrifices in the process.”

Ike’s face turned grim. “Soren, that’s horrible.”

“I’m glad you killed him,” Soren admitted quietly. “But yes, because of that I’ve had little social contact over the years. My mother raised me away from the court and taught me many things. If it hadn’t been for her, I wouldn’t have known of the Serenes massacre or the truth behind the laguz.”

Soren paused, his eyes growing distant. “That is likely the reason for the differences between us. Elincia and Sanaki were born to be praised and revered while I was born to be used and scorned by everyone except my mother.”

“But Ashnard’s dead and you’re the new heir. Can’t you change Daein for the better now?” Ike’s brow furrowed.

“It’s not as simple as that. Daein separated from Begnion because of their anti-laguz sentiments. I can’t change the people just by writing a few new laws. Besides, if the public knew of my true ancestry, they wouldn’t want me as their prince anyway. And believe me, the feeling is mutual.” Soren said bitterly. “If it weren’t for this mess with Begnion, I would’ve abdicated already.”

“It all sounds incredibly complicated,” Ike sighed in frustration. He hadn't felt this useless since his father's sudden death, and even then he'd managed to avenge him in the end. Politics was a whole other game, and Ike was woefully inept.

“Indeed. If anything, this proves one thing.”

“What?” Ike asked on reflex.

“That you certainly aren’t suited for the court.” Soren smiled a little. “In fact, I’d recommend getting out as soon as possible.”

Ike chuckled after a moment's pause. “Believe me, I plan on leaving the castle as soon as Crimea’s finished rebuilding.”

Soren blinked in surprise. “You’d really be willing to part with Elincia?”

“I’m not interested in her,” Ike said simply, looking directly at Soren.

Soren’s eyes flickered with embarrassment as he looked away. “Well… I wish you luck then.”

“The same to you,” Ike said, frowning once more. “I’m pretty useless at politics but I can try to talk to Sanaki. I doubt she knows what Lekain’s up to.”

“You won’t be able to get to her without Lekain running interference,” Soren muttered. “Although… Wait, is Sanaki staying over at Crimea for the victory celebration?”

“I think so. She was still in the ballroom when I left. It was pretty late then so I doubt she headed back right away.” Ike recalled. “Why?”

A light flashed in Soren’s eyes. “I think there might be a way out of my situation.”

“So you have a plan?”

“I didn’t before, but if you’re willing to assist me, I might be able to make something work. Still, there will be significant risks involved.”

“I’m a mercenary, I can handle it.”

“Yes, that’s right… But I don’t have any money to pay you.”

“It’s on the house,” Ike reassured with a smile. “Consider it payment for wearing down your cure staff.”

“Honestly Ike, you’re far too trusting for your own good,” Soren said. “What if I wanted to get revenge on you or use you?”

“If you did, you wouldn’t have told me that just now.”

Soren shook his head with an exasperated smile, rolling over from his position on the bed. “The drug will likely be out of my system within another hour. We’ll follow the initial plan first and then move onto phase two.”

“So what’s phase two?”

“Here’s what we’ll do...”

* * *

In the dead of the night, the castle was stirred by a loud pounding at the front gate. The guards on duty gathered at the entrance only to find their lord and general outside, holding a stranger dripping with blood.

“S-sir! What’s going on? Didn’t you return to your room to rest?” A guard spoke up, bewildered by the scene in front of him.

“Now’s not the time!” Ike said, sternly reprimanding the guard who spoke.

As armored men opened the castle’s doors, one by one, the windows lit up, its inhabitants awakening in the middle of the night. Whispers passed through the halls of an assassination attempt as queen Elincia ran down the steps in a hurry, her retainers armed in tow.

“My Lord Ike, what-” Elincia gasped as she saw the scene before her. Ike was unarmored and barefoot, grimly holding a familiar looking man in his arms as blood slowly dripped from between his fingers onto the castle floor.

“Get Rhys or Mist. We need a healer right now.” Ike said, abandoning all decorum.

“Yes… of course!” Elincia replied, motioning for a maid to get the guests as she commanded the surrounding guards to lower their weapons.

“What in the Goddess’s name is going on here?” Ike looked up to see Sanaki descending the stairs regally, surrounded by guards with Lekain at her heels. A brief flash of anger coursed through him at the sight of the senator but Ike controlled himself. He had to make this work. For Soren’s sake.

Sanaki’s eyes widened as she beheld the scene before her. “Isn’t that the prince of Daein? What is he doing here?”

“Apostle, he must have come uninvited to disturb our festivities! Arrest him at once!” Lekain shouted in a commanding tone — only his darting eyes betrayed his nervous confusion.

“Please wait, sir.” Elincia said. “This man is injured and requires medical attention. The first thing we should do is tend to his wounds.”

“Insolence! How dare you talk back to a senator of Begnion?” Lekain fumed. “Did you forget, Crimea would have been nothing without our aid!”

“Enough Lekain.” Sanaki commanded, cutting off the older man’s words. “We are currently guests of Crimea. Do not conduct yourself in ways unbefitting of Begnion.”

As Lekain fumed with anger, a gasp filled the air as Mist appeared at the top of the stairwell. “Ike, what’s going on here?”

“Mist, get a heal staff, quick!” Ike implored, gently pressing on Soren's wound in an attempt to staunch the bleeding.

Without hesitation, Mist ran down the stairs with her heal staff and examined his injuries. There was a deep cut towards the back of his head with horrible bruising on his face. It looked like he fell from a great height and hit the back of his head against something. Biting her lip, Mist quickly cast the spell. Slowly, Soren’s bloody wound closed before them, colour returning to his pale cheeks. Ike finally let out a sigh of relief. They had successfully crossed the first hurdle.

“My Lord Ike, can you tell us what happened?” Elincia asked, stepping forward.

Ike paused for a second, collecting himself before explaining. “It’s like this: I woke up in the middle of the night and wanted to get some fresh air so I went to my balcony. That’s when I saw him lying on the grass.”

A trace of panic crossed Lekain’s eyes as Ike continued. “I tried to leave and call for help but my door was locked from the outside. That’s when I jumped down the balcony and got him. I think I reopened his wound since he started bleeding when I moved him... You all know the rest.”

Sanaki’s eyes narrowed and Elincia’s expression became grim as they heard the story. “I will question the prince personally after he wakes,” Sanaki announced, pointedly ignoring Lekain’s protests.

“You have done well, Lord Ike.” Elincia smiled. “I will personally have my retainers guard Prince Soren carefully.”

“You have my thanks, Queen Elincia.” Ike bowed his head in relief.

Soren’s brain was truly something to be feared.

* * *

Hours after the incident and after a second round of questioning by the other Greil Mercenaries, Ike was summoned to Soren’s temporary residence. By the front door, amidst the guards was Elincia, smiling as he approached.

“He said he wished to thank you for saving him,” Elincia explained. Ike nodded in affirmation and entered the room.

On the luxurious bed lay Soren, the morning light giving his eyes a warm glow. Ike stood before him, stopping right by the side of the bed.

“Ike.”

“Soren.”

Ike tried to remain impassive but he grinned despite himself. “I can’t believe that worked,” Ike muttered, impressed. “How did you even come up with something like that?”

“Well, to be fair, I mostly used Lekain’s plan against him. All of the proof was there since he really did plot against me, I just didn’t give him the time to clear the evidence.” Soren smirked proudly. “To different people, my wounds would mean different things. Lekain would have thought that my wounds were from resisting the drug’s effects and falling off the balcony. Sanaki and Elincia, on the other hand, would have believed I was purposefully moved under your balcony to implicate you in my assault.”

“Wait, why would they think that?”

“It’s why I stressed you to mention how you were locked inside your room. If morning came and I was found dead under your balcony with wounds that resembled a fall, you would obviously be the prime suspect. However, if you complained about being locked inside your room, it would become obvious that it was a plot that targeted you. The Queen and Apostle hold immense trust in you, so even if you messed up your scripted lines, as long as you mentioned how you were locked inside, they would immediately realize that someone was moving against you and come to your aid.”

“I see...so when I brought you inside, Lekain assumed his plan went wrong and panicked. That’s when Sanaki noticed it. ”

“Exactly. Sanaki is smart, and surely she knew that Lekain was in charge of negotiating the treaty with me. That, along with his suspicious actions, would have automatically made him the prime suspect.”

Soren paused, taking a drink of water before continuing. “Furthermore, our current location was essential to this plan. This gambit of ours wouldn’t have worked if the victory celebration was held in Begnion, since he would have overpowered us with his authority. But this was Crimea, and Elincia wouldn’t have sat idly by if she believed you were implicated by Lekain.”

“And with that, it’s checkmate,” Soren smirked, putting down his glass of water.

“Still, that was quite the risk. You almost died.”

“Well, it needed to be a big enough commotion to grasp the attention of the entire castle, so some risk was inevitable,” Soren explained.

Despite wanting to admonish Soren for his self-destructive tactics, Ike felt a smile tugging at his lips. “If you ever want to quit being a prince, we could always use a good tactician in the group. Goddess knows Titania would appreciate the help.”

Soren hummed, the smile on his face fading a little. “I appreciate the offer Ike, but while I hold no attachment to Daein, Begnion will keep looking for trouble. Lekain is just the tip of the iceberg. Even if he is arrested, others will follow in his footsteps.”

“I know you’ll do an amazing job,” Ike said after a pause, looking down at his feet. “I’m sure you’ll outsmart the rest of them too.”

“Yes… Well, thank you.” Soren’s eyes flickered for a second before resting on Ike’s face.

This was it. Both of them knew it was coming, but somehow it was more difficult than he had expected.

“Ike, thank you for everything.”

“Likewise, Prince Soren.”

Ike’s eyes met Soren’s and for a second, he was tempted to say something else — something more meaningful than a simple goodbye. An admission. A feeling. But his willpower won in the end as he turned his heels and resolutely headed out the door.

Soren was the Prince of Daein and Ike was the soon to be ex-hero of Crimea. Despite everything that happened between them, in the end, they were worlds apart. And that was not something that could be bridged with a simple inkling of emotion.

* * *

Six months after the incident, much to the joy of the Crimean senators and the disheartenment of Queen Elincia, Ike settled back into his old mercenary fort. Even after a month of cleaning and rebuilding, the place still smelled of dust and mould, but Ike wouldn’t have had it any other way. He had finally come home.

“Ike, you have a visitor!” Mist called out in a sing-song voice.

“In a minute!” Ike hollered, hastily putting away the latest expense reports. Honestly, he would take any excuse to get away from the baffling paperwork Titania had handed him. Still, there were too many papers and it took him longer than he expected just putting everything away.

Just as he finished, he heard a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Ike said, getting out from behind his desk.

The old wooden door creaked open and Ike’s breath caught in his throat. Standing there, in the doorway, was a familiar man with eyes red as the sunset.

At this moment there were a million things Ike wanted to say, but all his questions were silenced when he saw the faint smile on Soren’s lips.

“We have a lot to catch up on.”

Ike chuckled and closed the door behind them.

“Yeah, I guess we do.”

**Author's Note:**

> *screams internally* It's done! My first IkeSoren fanfiction to be shared in the eyes of the public!
> 
> From here on in I imagine a happy end where Sanaki succeeds in eliminating the corrupt senators, and where Soren abdicates the throne to run off and become staff officer of the Greil Mercenaries. Of course, Almedha comes along and cockblocks our main couple frequently but they get together in the end~
> 
> A very special thanks to Measured for helping me read through this and encouraging me to write my own fanfiction! *bows to the friendly queen of IkeSoren*


End file.
